Stone Crab Season Opens Oct. 15

Florida’s stone crab season runs from Oct. 15 through May 1. Both recreational and commercial harvesters must follow specific rules to help conserve the population.

Claws must be at least 2 7/8 inches long to be harvested. Only the claws may be taken—never the whole crab—and claws cannot be taken from egg-bearing females. Use care when removing claws to avoid injuring the crab. Never use tools that puncture or crush the body.

All traps must have an unobstructed 2 3/16-inch escape ring on a vertical exterior wall. Recreational harvesters age 16 and older must register traps for free at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Once registered, each trap must display the harvester’s full name, address, and unique trap registration number, clearly and permanently.

The daily recreational limit is 1 gallon of claws per person or 2 gallons per vessel (whichever is less). Each person may use up to five traps. Unused traps should be removed from the water to avoid ghost fishing, which harms marine life.

These rules apply in both state and federal waters.

Learn more about proper claw removal and other regulations by watching FWC’s video on YouTube (@FWCSaltwaterFishing). For detailed information on recreational and commercial stone crab harvesting, visit MyFWC.com/Marine and look under “Recreational Regulations” for “Stone Crab.”

Stay current with Florida fishing rules by downloading the Fish Rules app or visiting FishRulesApp.com.